The Washington bee., 1887-01-29
THE PHILOMATHIAN.
LAWYER DAVIS HAS A BIG RECEPTION.
EVERY AVAILABLE SPACE FILLED.
THE POET LAUREATE's GEEAT POEM
ON CHARLES SUMNER AND THE
NEGRO SOLDIER.

Never before In the history of
the Pnilomathian literary society
has there been such a crowd as
sembleL as on last Thursday even
ing. Every available space in the
body of the church and gallery
were filled. The Charles Sumner
Post was represented by Lieut..
Col. f. G. Revell's and Others.
Lidies came in their best attire to
greet the first colored lawyer of
the Baltimore bar. The president,
W. Calvin Chase, having called
the society to order, introduced
Rev. Daniel Morris of Va, who
offered prayer. Afterwhich the
secretary Miss Lizzie Mason read
the minutes of the last meeting.
/ Mrs. Slye then opened the exer-
cises with piano solo, followed
with vocal solo, the "Old Sex
ton," by Mr.. R. Plummer, who
was enthusiastically applauded.
Hon. S. e.. Brown, the poet
laureate, was introduced and read
an original poem on Charles Sum-
ner and the Negro soldier. The
poem was a master piece of com.
position. which will appear in this
paper in two numbers. The
critics review by Mr.. A. s. Rich
ardson was very logical and
amusing. Mr.. Joseph s. Davis,
the essayist of the evening was
introduced amid applause. He
read on
INDUSTRIAL UNITY OR co OPERATION
IN BUSINESS.
He said: The history of the col
ored race is too we'll known to this
intellectual audience, to need any
minute rehearsal by me. Their
treatment for $50 years will no
doubt read like romance or fiction
to generations yet unborn, who
will not have seen any OF this pc
riod through the eye of personal
experience. In the history of the
colored race, the dawn has just
begun. Possessing nothing and
inheriting less. 1 will long to see
IIIe llue wneu lno1o viii nut DO
so many professional political wire
pullers in the ranks of the colored
American.
When q mans status as an in
dustrious, desirable, progressive
citizen is discussed, no one thinks
of questioning as to his political
belief, or attachment to party
principles. It is the vacillating
position occupied by too many of
our colofed citizens who make
their votes q mere matter of mer-
chandise. 1t is not so much our
fault that we are not now on the
eminence of success and prosperity
side by side with those more ia
vored than ourselves, but an un-
charitable world does not recog-
nize that fact when we are jeerpd
by the dominant race on accou ut
of our condition in life, we may
well put the question to them that
the French too oppressed, put to |
the aristocracy: allow have you
treated us; how have you taught |
US, fed US and led us while we
toiled for your" Mr.. Davis |
argued very forcibly the necessity |
OF cooperation in business. He
was pointed, eloquent and logical |
and was at times heartily applaud
ed.
Mr.. A. F. Hilyer was the first
speaker, who advised the eolored
people to join building associa-
tions. He condemned the way
some colored merchants operated.
He said that colored man will
keep lemons for six months and
want double the price for them as
be would at the time he bought
them. He agreed with the paper.
MIR. r. S. Smith did not agree
with Mr.. Hilyer He said the
reason that a colored man kept
his lemons so long was because
his own people would purchase
elsewhere. daughter and ap-
plause)
Mr.. A. st. A. Smith, said that
he d dn't believe in cooperation.
These building associations were
frauds and only those who have
l0af hr- Soi Z IL